Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-03-27
A TIN BASIN THE LINZ TN
FAMOUS ROMANCE Nv

| the sister of F.
| ooA 'ne "reat' and His Impri.e
| tin Magdeburg-TheP r,noason.
| tsthe Last-DisfiguringH ersa,,srns
vent Marriage to a Deta.t Fte'
mirers ADJ
From the Pitss0Urg Commercial, eo....
Mr.. Franz, Muller of spripg Gm
Allegheny, is in possession of a tin haaiN '
which is kind of heirloom In Mrm"al
FAMILY, as 1t was presented to mia &C.,
grandfather at the time he was a soldi.-
In Magdeburg in 1744. The basin ~
link in the life of Frederic Won der T,o~u
the famous Prussian officer. who to
long time was prisoner in Magdeburs
ana ABOUT wnom is told the fOllewins
story:
Frederic Won der Trenk was born :.
| hGnlssoerg, PRUSSIA, about 1928, Az,
scnoolboy he distinguished himas's.
greatly on account OF his easv co nmSeh
henslon and the rapidity with which (.
would grasp the most difficult problsrss
| tnat were Invented to tax a schooIhor,'
brains. The consequence was that
was soon ripe for the university WIS ae
he entered when but - years old. its.
onanced that he was noticed BY Freda,'
lex the Great OF Prussia, who cana,
~, Aeool : "hlle 1renk was student
The monarch then spoke to the von,b
very encouragingly, and when Trent iot
| college to follow his desire of enterins
the army the King immediately made him
| an ensign in the Garde du COrns tba
crack regiment OF the last century. How
ever, the King would not have bestowed
such high honor upon the Young man
mad not his outward appearance heen
greatly In his favor. The young ensign
was at that time considered the fnest,
looking soldier in the army. He wasA,an
we'll prOportioned, with a disni6eSgar
rage. and his looks were of such genial
beautiful character that he was called
among his comrades the "PrussIan
Apollo" The Partially which the Kina
| at every opportunity showed towards the
young man made it necessary for him In
| be frequently around the court. and IN
| one OF these occasions it was that the
Prlncess Amalla was attracted by his
beauty. The royal lady became interested
in the ensign; she threw herself often in
his way, and the consequence was at last
mutual attachment between the Kings
sister and her brothers. ensign. All the
difficulties which placed themselves in
the lovers way which might have pre
vented any tete-a-tetes were easily slr.
mounted by the ardent Princess, who was
too inventive in finding a thousand and
one reasons for having her young lover
around her. But there came day when
the King was told OF the clandestine
love affair, and his wrath knew no
bounds.
Of course his sister he could not imprs
on, but he thought he might punish bOtu
equally severe by sending Trenk into
dungeon. A cause was soon found. He
was arrested on charge of high treason.
and the Young soldier who had engaged
the favor of the King almost to friend.
ship, who had been the lucky recipient
of a Princess love, was confined t.
dungeon, and, as the King IN.
tended, for the balance OF the prisoners
life.
Trenk was first sent to the Fortress
GlatZ. in Silesia. He made here several
attempts to escape, until he at last sue
ceeded. He few to Vienna, where he
met an uncle of his, who was a million.
aire. From Vienna he went to Russia
where he was favorably received BY the
Empress Elizabeth, who had heard OF his
Imprisonment, and also about his love
affair with the peerless Am ala. As shs
at this time was on not very friendly
terms with Frederick of Prussia. she did
everything she could to please Trenk
She made him Colonel in one of her
regiments, and Trenk would have even.
tually been able to forget the past had be
not unfortunately been sent to Danzig,
which at that time was just on the Dor.
ders Of Prussia and Russia. Trenk while
in Danzig becaE-a very DESTROYS to visit
MS mother in kenigs berg, as he had not
seen her for so long, but on the way there
he was suddenly kidnapped by Prussiau
spies and he was now Immediately tran
sported to Magdeburg, in SaXony, to be ,
again in Frederick's power. He we
here put in dungeon with cha
on his feet, hands, and round d
body and neck to prevent anothc
escape.
In the meantime the King, howeVe,
had also given vent to his anger by tyra
nizing over his sister for her mesallian
with one Of his officers. But if the Kill
was harsh, firm, and unforgiving, b.
sister was true to the VOW she had ma,
TO Trenk, and she loved him the same :
ever. The King at last went so {
as to make an attempt at forcing
her to marry the Crown Prince OF De-
mark.
The Princess, however, as soon as
heard of this, closeted herself one night
her chamber and moistened her eyes an,
throat with medicine that had been pre-
scribed for her, with the warning that If
II would ever come near her eyes or into
her throat it would surround her optics
with red ring, make them constantly
running, and it would totally destroy heI
voice. The stuff did it's duty. When the
King saw his sister the next morning she
was the most horrid woman to look at
and her voice sounded like The screeohing
OF raven. OF course the marriage was
broken off, but the poor Princess was to
the end OF her life the most hOrrid-
locking creature and an object of abjso.
misery.
While Trenk was in Magdeburg he suf'
fered the most brutal degradation from
the commander at the prison, although
he succeeded gradually In making him.
self tree IRON his bond by the aid of the
keepers, who were all friendly to him on
account OF the money he would give them.
This money he obtained secretly from the
Princess, who asked him TO escape as
quickly as possible. 1t was also during
this time that Trenk occupied himself
with making all sorts OF pictures ON the
outside of the basin or tin cup that he
would drink out of. As soon as he had
finished one he would cOntrive to obtain
another. Gradually he became quite an
artist in engraving with the point OF
nail on these basins, and the keepers, TO
whom he gave them when he had finished
them, gave them away. When 1t became
known who was the painter ofthese basins
there was great demand for them ana
everybody wanted to have one OF Trenks
basins. Irenk staid in Magdeburg Tor
ten full years, when the King at last gave
him his liberty on the condition that ne